Hydraulic means for actuating frictional disk clutches



Feb. 26, 1952 1'. A. scHAAD 2,587,230

HYDRAULIC MEANS FOR ACTUATING FRICTIONAL DISK CLUTCI-IESV Filed July 27, 194e 2 smETs-SHEET 1 T. A. scHAAD HYDRAULIC Ns FOR ACTUATING FRICTIo DISK cLuToHEs MEA NAL Feb. .26, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed July 27. 1946 :www u 3% Nm R INVENTOR. gaia/e /jrdad Patented Feb. 26, 1952 HYDRAULIC MEANS FOR ACTUATING FRICTIONAL DISK CLUTCHES Theodore A. Schaad, Detroit, Mich. Application July 27, 1946, Serial No. 686,732

1 Claim.

This invention relates to clutch mechanism and in particular to improved fluid operated method and means for imparting axial pressure on and movementl to rotating elements such as found in clutches, spindles and other machine elements mounted on rotating shafts.

Fluid operated means for applying axial pressure and motion to elements on rotating shafts and spindles are old in the art as illustrated by air and oil operated chucks and clutches. The

`prior art mechanisms generally require fluid passages or connections to and from rotating elements which involve the use of seals or packing glands which not only increase frictional losses between rotating and stationary elements but constantlywear and leak when operated at high speeds and under pressures.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a method and means for applying axial pressure or movement to rotating elements which eliminate the use of seals and glands between the xed and the rotating elements to which axial movement or pressure is applied.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fluid operated clutch or chuck wherein the required axial movement is provided by fluid means and is transmitted from the stationary element to the rotating element preferably through combined radial and thrust type ball bearings.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

' Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a iluid operated clutch illustrating the invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a fluid operated chuck or spring collet illustrating another use of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the iluidoperated clutch illustrating one application of the inventionshown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a shaft I0 rotatably mounted in a bearing I I of a machine or other device, the said shaft I0 being either a drive shaft or a driven shaft. For convenience in describing the invention, the said shaft I0 will be considered to be a drive shaft. The gear or driven member I2 has a shouldered bushing I3 xed therein and is mounted thereby freely rotatableon the drive shaft |0. The said driven member I2 is provided with an interiorly splined Yannular cup shaped hub I4 extending axially 2 therefrom. The female splines I5 of the said cup shaped hub I4 receive the male splines I6 of the clutch discs I1 which are normally freely axially slidable with respect to and within the said cup shaped hub I4 of the driven member I2.

A flanged sleeve I8 having its flange |80 disposed adjacent to the shoulder |30 of the bushing |3 is keyed to the drive shaft I0 by means of keys I9 and is axially ilxed on the said drive shaft I0 by a pin 20 with sufficient clearance allowed between the flange thereof and the shoulder |30 of the bushing I3 of the driven member I2 lto permit the driven member I2 to rotate freely on the drive shaft I0. ,Y

Clutch discs 2| are disposed between the clutch discs I1 and an annular clutch pressure plate 22 is positioned axially against the outermost clutch disc I1, the said clutch discs 2| and pressure plate 22 being axially slidable on the said flanged sleeve I8 and splined thereto for rotation therewith by means of the male splines 23 with which female splined clutch discs 2| and the pressure plate 22 cooperate.

A combined radial and thrust type ball bearing 24 are mounted in the axially cupped end 220 lof the clutch pressure plate 22 with the outer race 240 thereof pressed therein in axial bearing against the axially disposed annular shoulder 2200 formed within the'cupped end of the clutch pressure plate, 22. The inner race 2400 of the said ball bearing 24 is thus spaced from the clutch pressure plate 22 and the flanged sleeve I8.

An annular cylinder 25 into which an annular piston 26 is reciproc'atingly t is supported in radial spaced relationship to the flanged sleeve I8 on the outer race 210 of a combined radial and thrust bearing 21 andzis fixed to the said outer race 210 of the said ball bearing 21 by means of a spanner nut 28. The inner race 2100 of the said ball bearing 21 is pressed on the flanged sleeve I8 and xed thereon against movement relative thereto between a retainer ring 20 disposed in a suitable groove formed in the flanged sleeve I8 and a Spanner nut 30 threaded thereon. A bifurcated bracket 3| secured to theY machine II having the forks 3I0 thereof disposed on each side of a female nipple 32 formed in the side of the annular cylinder 25 prevents the said annular cylinder 25 from rotating with the inner race 2100 of the ball bearing 21 which rotates with the flanged sleeve I8 and the drive shaft I0. A suitable fluid pressure supply line 33 is connected to the said nipple 32 and the annular cylinder 25 is provided with suitable bores 34 and 35 which communicate between the nipple 32 and the cylthe end 5|0 of the said spindle 5|.

inder chamber 250, thus providing passage for uid under pressure from the pressure supply line 33 to the cylinder chamber 250 for the purpose of actuating the annular piston 26. Suitable inner and outer circumferential grooves 36 and 31 are provided in the sliding surfaces of the annular cylinder and piston 2B respectively which receive O-rings 38 or other suitable sealing means to prevent leakage of operating fluid from the cylinder chamber 250. It will be noted that the annular cylinder 25 is provided with a suitable annular shoulder 39 which bears against the outer race 210 of the 4bearing 21 and the annular piston 26 is provided with a suitable annular shoulder 40 which bears against the inner race 2400 of the bearing 24.

When no fluid pressure is applied to the annular piston 26 the clutch mechanism herein described is disengaged, and the drive shaft I0 is under rotation and rotates with it the flanged lsleeve I8 keyed to the said drive shaft l0, the clutch discs 2| and the annular cupped clutch pressure plate 22 splined on the said anged sleeve I8, the outer race 245 of the ball bearing 24 which is pressed in the cupped clutch pressure plate 22, and the inner race 2105 of the ball bearing 21 which is fixed into the said flanged sleeve When operating pressure is applied to the annular piston 25, axial movement and pressure are applied to the clutchV pressure plate 22 as indicated by the dot and dash line in Fig. l which causes the clutch plates l1 to be engaged by the clutch pressure plate 22, the clutch plates 2| and the flange |80 of the flanged sleeve I8 whereupon the gear or driven member l2 is rotated by the drive shaft l5.

Referring now to Fig. 3, another application or embodiment of the invention is shown operating a spring collet type chuck. In this second illustrative embodiment of the invention the headstock of the machine has a spindle 5I journaled therein. The said spindle 5i is shouldered at 52 and provided with a shouldered sleeve bearing 53 against which the thrust nut 54 collet chuck 55 is mounted in the said spindle g, 5l and is caused to rotate therewith by means of a key 56 which extends into a suitable longitudinally disposed keyway 51 in the chuck 55. A drawbar`5is threaded on the inner end of the chuck 55 and is provided with an annular shoulder 580 at its other end.

A sleeve 59 is mounted on the rear of the spindle 5| by a set screw 60 and is keyed thereto for rotation therewith by asuitable key BI. The said sleeve 5S is shouldered at 590 to abut against The inner race V620 of the combined radial and thrust type ball bearing 62 is pressed onto the said sleeve 59 and held from axial movement thereon between a retainer ring 63 anda Spanner nut Sd. A pressure ring 65 is spiined in axial slidable relationship on the rear end of the sleeve 59 by means of suitable splines 66 and rotates therewith. The inner race 510 of the combined radial 4and thrust type ball bearing 610 is pressed on 68 is counterbored at 685 to fit over the shouldered end 580 of the drawbar 58 and provides an annular flange 6800 axially thereover.

An annular cylinder 69 and an annular piston 10 reciprocatingly mounted therein are supported in radial spaced relationship to the sleeve 59 and the pressure ring on the outer races 6200 and 6150 of the said combined radial and thrust type ball bearings E2 and 51 respectively. The outer race 6280 of thefsaid ball bearing 62 is positioned in a suitable counterbore provided in the annular cylinder GS and is fixed therein against axial movement relative thereto by a Spanner nut 1|. The outer race 6100 of the said ball bearing 61 is positioned in a suitable counterbore provided in the annular piston 10 and is fixed therein against axial movement relative thereto by a retainer ring 12. A bracket 13 is secured by a stud 14 to the headstock 50 and is provided with a groove 130 therein into which an axially disposed key 15 formed on the annular cylinder 59 slides freely. The said key 15 cooperating with the bracket V13 prevents the annular cylinder 59 from rotating.

The rear-most end of the annular cylinder 59 is bored and threaded to accommodate ya spring retaining nut 15 which. serves asv an abutment for the piston return spring 11 which bears against the rearwardly facing annular end of the piston 1B. The said cylinder 59 and piston 1|) are provided withsuitable inner and outer circumferentially disposed grooves 18r and 19`1espectively which receive O-rings or other suitable vsealing means to prevent leakage of operating fluid from the cylinder chamber 590.

Fluid under pressure is supplied to the cylinder chamber 69|) by means of a pressure supply iine S! threaded in a suitable bore 82 provided in the annular cylinder 69 which bore l82 is connected to the cylinder chamber 590 by a second bore 83.

The fluid operated collet type chuck disclosed vin Fig. 3 is shown in its free position with the work W not engaged or held thereby. When fluid under operating pressure is applied to the piston 10" suicient to cause axial movement of the said piston 'it' against the normal urge of `the piston return spring 11 axial movement is imparted to the drawbar 5B as indicated in the dot and dash line S4 to pull the spring collet chuck 55 in the interiorly frusto-conically formed tapered end of the spindle 5| causing the said spring collet chuck 55 to close onto and grip the work W whereupon the said Work W is rotated with the said spindle 5|.

It will be noted that in both of the embodi- `ments of the invention disclosed herein for the purpose of illustrating the-invention the axial pressure and movement between rotating parts is applied Vfrom a non-rotating cylinder and piston through anti-friction means and that the pressure seals employed are not subject to frictional wear. Also, the-rotating parts are relatively'small in dimension and consequently create a minimum of inertia. The construction is adaptable to use under high speed and pressures, inexpensive to manufacture, and obviously may be adapted to advantage in many applications in addition to the two shown for the purpose of illustratingithe invention. It will be further noted that 'a bellows or 'otherv expansible pressure chamber may be substituted for any cylinder-piston construction herein disclosed.v

Although but two specificV embodiments of the invention and improved method of applying axial 'movement to rotating elements have been disclosed herein, it is obvious that many changes may be made in the method and structure including changes in the size, shape, arrangement and details of the various elements of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as dened by the appended claim.

Iclaim:

Means for applying balanced concentric axial pressure on and movement to an axially movable element on a rotatable shaft comprising a thrust type bearing mounted yon the rotating shaft with the inner race thereof fixed in relationship to the said rotatable shaft, a cylinder including a slidable piston therein mounted on the outer raceV of the said thrust bearing1 the said axially movable element on the said rotatable shaft carrying a second thrust bearing with the outer race thereof xed in relationship thereto, a portion of the said slidable piston carried by the said cylinder on the outer race of the rst mentioned thrust bearing contacting the inner race of the said second mentioned thrust bearing causing axial pressure on and movement to the said axially movable element when iiuid pressure REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,197,002 Woody Sept. 5, 1916 1,364,392 Macho Jan. 4, 1921 1,613,090 Fornaca Jan. 4, 1927 2,055,970 Fippard Sept. 29, 1936 2,117,852 Pearmain May 17, 1938 2,257,364 Bakewell Sept. 30, 1941 2,279,730 Bradley Apr. 14, 1942 2,340,315 Fawick Feb. 1, 1944 2,362,146 Mariotte Nov. 7, 1944 2,452,775 Lindsley Nov. 2, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 538,509 Germany, July 19, 1930 420,616 Great Britain Dec. 5, 1934 863,720 France Jan. 6, 1941 

